Making mayonnaise may seem daunting, but it's really easy! With a food processor (or a blender) you can whip up thick creamy fresh mayo that tastes better than any store bought jar. Once I made it in my own kitchen I stopped buying it at the store. Mayo is simple ingredients, things you probably already … Continue reading Easy Homemade Mayonnaise
I have always loved nature, and I love taking a walk outside in the woods. Unbeknownst to me, it's even got a name - forest bathing or in Japanese, Shinrin-yoku meaning forest medicine . This is the practice of immersing yourself in nature and using all your senses - sound and smell as well as … Continue reading Why Go Out into the Woods? Shinrin-Yoku, that’s why
Sometimes I bake just to use up ingredients i have on hand. Yesterday I found 3 pints of buttermilk in the fridge, and need to use up some of it. What to make...other than Moroccan Chicken , or other chicken soaked in buttermilk. And I wanted something carb to eat....so ... scones! Good for breakfast … Continue reading Baking Whole Grain Almond Raisin Scones
I recently read an article in a magazine about Moroccan Spice Mix, or Ras el Hanout. It's not an individual new spice you've never heard of - it's a mix of common spices, just like 5 spice powder would be in Chinese cuisine. I didn't want to buy any, so I did what we all … Continue reading What is Ras el Hanout?? And what did it do to chicken?
Split pea and ham soup is in regular rotation at our homestead during the colder months. My husband will regularly ask for it. I usually have ham bones in the freezer, saved from the holidays, or bits of ham I need to use up. This soup is filling, delicious even when it sits in the … Continue reading How to Make Split Pea & Ham Soup
Need a quick dinner, and you have a bag or two of ravioli in the freezer? Make a casserole! Just cook the ravioli according to the directions, and drain well. Pour into a large cast iron skillet ot casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with as much or as little pasta sauce … Continue reading Making a Quick Ravioli Casserole
I have never made orange marmalade - cherry, elderberry and strawberry jam, sure. Crab apple jelly since I was young and we had an old fashioned crab apple tree in the front year. But never a marmalade. I am encouraged to try this because I watched an Ina Garten episode on Food Channel recently where … Continue reading Trying my Hand at Orange Marmalade
I saw a flash of orange, and something orange on the clothesline - a Baltimore Oriole! Most of my spring birds have arrived - the Red breasted grosbeaks, Carolina Wren and Catbirds are all settling in. Hummingbirds flit around. I put out orange halves and have tried an oriole feeder, but the orioles never seem … Continue reading Attracting, and Keeping Orioles in Your Yard
Summer brings lots of salads - more potato salad, macaroni salad, waldorf salad, and the like. They all have mayonnaise in common, and I have adapted a recipe from The Joy of Cooking that (so far) works every time, to make food processor mayonnaise. Commonly called Blender Mayonnaise, I find it much easier and fool-proof … Continue reading How to Make Homemade Mayonnaise & Potato Salad
Along with the Incredibly Quick Chicken a few night ago, I also cooked up some crunchy -soft potatoes in another cast iron pan at the same time. My cast iron pans live on top of the stove, and they are what I use most often. For these potatoes, as well as the chicken, cast iron … Continue reading Crunchy Rosemary Potatoes in Cast Iron